The temperature isn't all that's going up as summer approaches. So are ticket prices at local AMC Palace theaters, as the moviehouse chain restructures its pricing.

Gone is the "Weekday Escape" program and gone are senior and student discounts. In their places are the following rates:

David James / Paramount PicturesPlanning to see Harrison Ford in 'Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull"? At AMC theaters, it'll now cost you $9.50 on weekends after 4 p.m.

Elmwood Palace 20, Westbank Palace 16 and Clearview Palace 12: All day Mondays through Thursdays, and before 4 p.m. on weekends, all tickets are $4.75. On weekends after 4 p.m. and on select holidays, adults, students and seniors will pay $9.50.

Hammond Palace 10 and Houma Palace 10: All day Mondays through Thursdays, and before 4 p.m. on weekends, all tickets are $4.25. After 4 p.m. on weekends and on select holidays, adults, students and seniors will pay $8.50.

At all local AMC theaters, children's tickets are half the price of adults'.

Rather than the result of a specific event, the higher prices are due to general market forces, said AMC director of external communications Sun Dee Larson.

"We evaluate our ticket prices twice a year every year, in spring and fall, " Larson said. "Sometimes we make modifications, and this is the modification we've made for spring '08."

To help take the sting out of the changes, AMC theaters have instituted a limited-time concessions offer: For $5, movie-goers can get unlimited soft drinks and popcorn all day Mondays through Thursdays, excluding holidays.